JK police unearths conspiracy to grab land around Dal lake

Jammu, Jan 31 (PTI) A big chunk of government landnear the Dal Lake was fraduently acquired by private buildersin connivance with revenue and other officials in the name ofpromoting tourism, causing damage to the flora and fauna inthe area, police said today.

The Crime Branch has registered a case followinginvestigations into a complaint filed by residents, InspectorGeneral of Police (Crime), J&K, Raja Aijaz Ali said.

The land was sold to the proprietors of FirdousDevelopers and Construction Company in the garb ofconstruction of tourist village, he said.

The IGP said on completion of preliminaryverification, it was found that the concerned revenueofficials after entering into conspiracy with the buildersmutated the state land in the name of some local inhabitantswithout any authority and the approval of the government asrequired under law.

They then facilitated its sale to the constructioncompany in the name of promotion of tourism in the state, hesaid, adding that the developers in violation of all the normsand rules went for major felling of trees, disturbing theflora and fauna in the area, and encroached the famous"Shuraab Khoul". Ali said they filled up and converted it intoa road disturbing the ecological balance.

He said Lakes and Waterways Development Authority(LAWDA) granted them permission for construction of so-calledtourist village in violation of rules and regulations withouta ''No Objection Certificate'' from Wild Life, Forest, SoilConservation Departments and the Master Plan of Srinagar, hesaid.

He said with the intervention of Crime Branch furtherdamage to the area was stopped.